Axelrod ’94: Bush looked “out of touch” by … talking up a bad economy from the golf course

posted at 6:16 pm on June 13, 2012 by Allahpundit

Via BuzzFeed, enjoy as one of the masterminds of Hopenchange kneecaps his future self not once but twice in a 61-second span. Turns out it’s a bad idea to try to B.S. the public with economic optimism when they’re not feeling optimistic, and it’s a really bad idea to try to do it when you’re known for spending your leisure time engaged in the ultimate stereotypical rich-guy pastime. Eighteen years, a catastrophic global recession, and 100 rounds of golf later, here we are.

At least he remembered the Democratic lesson about beating up on Bush when else all fails. Or did he?

“At some point, it’s hard to spin your way out of a trash heap,” said Drew Westen, an Emory University clinical psychologist who studies the role of messaging and emotion in politics.

Obama’s “fundamental error,” Westen said, was not blaming former President George W. Bush and conservative lawmakers early enough and often enough in his term for creating the country’s economic troubles before he got into office.

“It’s too late to make that argument now,” said Westen, who has consulted with House and Senate Democrats on messaging on health care and energy issues. “It just sounds like sour grapes. Whether it’s true or not, it sounds like sour grapes.”

Blowback

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“At some point, it’s hard to spin your way out of a trash heap,” said Drew Westen, an Emory University clinical psychologist who studies the role of messaging and emotion in politics.

Obama’s “fundamental error,” Westen said, was not blaming former President George W. Bush and conservative lawmakers early enough and often enough in his term for creating the country’s economic troubles before he got into office.

I don’t know about the rest of you folks, but when a professor at Emory says something stupid I’m worried he’s under the influence of a killer virus or something that escaped from the CDC next door.

There comes a point where Obama’s whining about George Bush will make people realize that perhaps they should elect a Republican so at least there will be a valid reason to blame them for the country’s ills.

Given that George Bush can’t run by constitutional mandate, it will be Romney who will get the nod.

I always thought an interesting ad would show a date from the last three years, and an event that occurred on that date-there’s plenty of unfortunate things that have happened during Barry’s reign- and then the addition of, “while Obama was golfing”. You could have a whole series of them: “While Obama was entertaining his Hollywood friends” or more timely, “While Obama was busy fundraising”. Team Romney needs to expose what a leech the little king is.

Obama’s “fundamental error,” Westen said, was not blaming former President George W. Bush and conservative lawmakers early enough and often enough in his term for creating the country’s economic troubles before he got into office.

Yup. That’s what he gets for thinking he could reform this cesspool of a political system we have in this country. A system where the upper 1% manages to pit unemployed and underemployed against each other.
It’s a good thing thing Obama is going to win in November. Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.
May God help us all.

Musta borrowed some jocks shoulder pads for that shoot. Yikes. His little pencil neck sticking up out of that collar and those big shoulders. Doesn’t look any better with hair. Just a little less desperate.

Obama’s “fundamental error,” Westen said, was not blaming former President George W. Bush and conservative lawmakers early enough and often enough in his term for creating the country’s economic troubles before he got into office.

He was blaming Bush BEFORE he got into office.

“The problem is that the way Bush has done it in the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion from the first 42 presidents. No. 43 added $4 trillion by his lonesome. So we now have over $9 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back. $30,000 for every man, woman, and child. That’s irresponsible, that’s unpatriotic.”

Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.
May God help us all.

I know you probably get paid for coming here, but lately, your heart just isn’t into it, is it?

Fallon on June 13, 2012 at 6:38 PM

It is a safe bet he/she gets paid because no one would take the pounding and the losing of every debate just for the hell of it. Either he/she get’s paid or is clinically insane. I guess it’s a coin flip.

It is a safe bet he/she gets paid because no one would take the pounding and the losing of every debate just for the hell of it. Either he/she get’s paid or is clinically insane. I guess it’s a coin flip.

The Notorious G.O.P on June 13, 2012 at 6:41 PM

Think about it this way: is there any amount of money that would motivate you to troll for Barack Obama? Ergo, an unbalanced mind is a prereq for the job.

Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.

Uppereastside on June 13, 2012 at 6:31 PM

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.
May God help us all.

Uppereastside on June 13, 2012 at 6:31 PM

IMAGINE an affirmative action baby, with Marxist roots, devoid of any resume’, zero life experience, etc., sucking as a President..guess you don’t have to imagine anymore.

Bless your little heart! But seriously, we — and when I say “we”, I mean tax-paying Americans — are sending Barry & Co. back to Chicago. He’s not going to be president next year, dear. If anything he will be afterthought and a symbol of presidential failure — much like Jimmy Carter, if you need an example.

Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.

Uppereastside on June 13, 2012 at 6:31 PM

The dream police, they live inside of my head
The dream police, they come to me in my bed
The dream police, they’re coming to arrest me, oh, no

You know that talk is cheap
And those rumors ain’t nice
And when I fall asleep
I don’t think I’ll survive the night, the night

Yup. That’s what he gets for thinking he could reform this cesspool of a political system we have in this country. A system where the upper 1% manages to pit unemployed and underemployed against each other.
It’s a good thing thing Obama is going to win in November. Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.
May God help us all.

Uppereastside on June 13, 2012 at 6:31 PM

I hope you were rending your garments and weeping while you were typing that. It’s just not the same without.

Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.
May God help us all.

Uppereastside on June 13, 2012 at 6:31 PM

What a great post…laughed my whole way through, don’t forget the starving children.
You (and your ilk) are why I keep coming to HA, I would never believe anyone is actually that stupid as to post something like you just did.
Fantastic, you made my, and I am sure others, day…you are f’in brilliant, keep posting.
Amazing how utterly stupid some people are…I would never believe it without actually reading it…just amazing.

No, Carville is a genius, wrong side, but a genius…he drove Clinton to the White House…”It’s the economy stupid” is one of the classic lines, and one that Obama actually thinks he can ride to victory.
The problem is, Obama isn’t listening to Carville (thank God), he has that fool Asselrod…

“The problem is that the way Bush has done it in the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion from the first 42 presidents. No. 43 added $4 trillion by his lonesome. So we now have over $9 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back. $30,000 for every man, woman, and child. That’s irresponsible, that’s unpatriotic.”

Yup. That’s what he gets for thinking he could reform this cesspool of a political system we have in this country. A system where the upper 1% manages to pit unemployed and underemployed against each other.
It’s a good thing thing Obama is going to win in November. Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.
May God help us all.

The same genius who wrote a book in 2009 bragging that the Democrats would “rule” for the next 40 yrs?

Flora Duh on June 13, 2012 at 7:11 PM

Yep, the same one…hyperbole is part of the process.

But if you don’t think he is a genius, no big deal, you are in the minority with many…most people, on either side of the aisle, would agree he is a genius. And right now, like a few months ago, he predicted this, Obama would be in trouble. He was skewered, and Obama basically kicked him out for being forthright and honest.

Clinton on the other hand, listened and pivoted to the middle.

Genius doesn’t meant infallible…we leave that for the Mitt supporters.

It’s a good thing thing Obama is going to win in November. Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.
May God help us all.

Uppereastside on June 13, 2012 at 6:31 PM

…Shut up you leftist lowlife…you mumbling again with your mouth full…and you!…are calling on God?…you must have meant JugEarred jesus!

”It’s the economy stupid” is one of the classic lines, and one that Obama actually thinks he can ride to victory.
The problem is, Obama isn’t listening to Carville (thank God), he has that fool Asselrod…

right2bright on June 13, 2012 at 7:05 PM

Well, there is the tiny problem of Obama actually having been in charge for the last 3 1/2 which does make for a bit of an issue when trying to run against an ineffective (at best) incumbent- it also creates problems and flailings when a challenger shows up who is as willing to pin the economy on you as you did your predecessor.

Even worse for Barry- his continued blame shifting set precedent for him to be open to being blamed for at least 3 1/2 years as well. Fun fun fun as he is torn down by the media that has been giving him a pass as blame must be assigned to the messenger so that the D’s can try to run the same message again next time.

“The problem is that the way Obama has done it in the last 1,183 days is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $10,628,881,485,510.23 from the first 43 presidents. No. 44 added $5,107,719,529,545.51 by his lonesome. So we now have over $15,734,596,578,458.59 of debt that we are going to have to pay back. $51,086.35 for every man, woman, and child. That’s irresponsible, that’s unpatriotic.”

Yup. That’s what he gets for thinking he could reform this cesspool of a political system we have in this country. A system where the upper 1% manages to pit unemployed and underemployed against each other. It’s a good thing thing Obama is going to win in November. Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into. May God help us all.

It was Axelrod who launched the Dog Wars™ with his snarky photo tweet, which wound up with the Obama campaign slinking away with its tail between its legs to laughter and taunts of “Obama the Dog-Eater.”

I guess nobody’s noticed. Tell me, doesn’t the young Axelrod look just a bit like a certain mid century European megalomaniac of about 75-80 years ago? Or am I just projecting my animosity for this slimy piece of garbage?

Obama’s “fundamental error,” Westen said, was not blaming former President George W. Bush and conservative lawmakers early enough and often enough in his term for creating the country’s economic troubles before he got into office.

Wow, and that idiot is a professor? Obama has done nothing but blame Bush for the economy from 2007 to the present day. I know that the mainstream American voter is pretty dumb, but they aren’t stupid; they’ve heard Obama blasting Bush, the previous administration, my predecessor, the Republicans when they were in control, etc. constantly for the last 4 years.

Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.
May God help us all.

Uppereastside on June 13, 2012 at 6:31 PM

Bwahahahahahahahah, giggle, snort…..

Sorry, it’s been a long day, and I think this response is sufficient…

And besides that, since when do lib’s believe in God? Seems to me they spend most of their time denouncing him…and those that do believe…

Yup. That’s what he gets for thinking he could reform this cesspool of a political system we have in this country. A system where the upper 1% manages to pit unemployed and underemployed against each other.
It’s a good thing thing Obama is going to win in November. Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages.. Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.
May God help us all.
Uppereastside on June 13, 2012 at 6:31 PM

Guys, did you happen to notice that UES stated quite categorically that obama would win and then ended her silly little rant with “God help us all”? It may have been nothing more than a Freudian slip, but I think she’s coming around!

Yup. That’s what he gets for thinking he could reform this cesspool of a political system we have in this country. A system where the upper 1% manages to pit unemployed and underemployed against each other.

So we should believe a guy from the Chicago political machine is going to reform the cesspool that is the country’s political system?

The doublespeak is just hilarious.

Was Michelle Obama “underemployed” on that hospital board? I mean, her job was so unimportant that they didn’t bother to replace her…

It’s a good thing thing Obama is going to win in November. Imagine all the food lines that will happen as a result of the drastic cuts in middle class wages..

I was going to ask when the President of the United States was granted the power to cut wages – then I rememberd you support fascism and it all made sense.

Imagine all the crime that will ensue as a result of no cops walking the beat. Imagine the new wave of nation building as a result of all the wars these chicken hawks can’t wait to get into.
May God help us all.

troll on June 13, 2012 at 6:31 PM

Again, the President can’t hire or fire municipal or state beat cops. Unless you live in a fascist society. Never mind Democrats start most wars and Fascists have an ever worse warmongering record.

Look, troll, I know you love the prospect of government control because you imagine yourself lording over the reigns, but the truth is you’re an idiot and a pawn, and will be the first new member of the serf class.